The Federal Labor Government has announced a comprehensive plan to tackle climate change and secure a clean energy future.
The plan has four key elements:
- A carbon price
- Renewable energy
- Energy efficiency
- Action on land
This plan outlines how the Government is supporting Australian households, businesses and communities and we transition to a clean energy future.
The carbon price will be paid by around 500 of the biggest polluters - not ordinary Australians.
By 2020 the carbon price will see Australia's annual carbon pollution emissions reduced by at least 159 million tonnes. This is the equivalent of taking 45 million cars off the road.
We will do this by making the biggest polluters pay for the pollution they create (just like when you or I go down to the tip).
The revenue the Government collects will be invested in clean energy, protecting jobs by assisting industries transform to a low emissions economy and helping households with any extra costs associated with that.
In total more than 42 800 people in Ipswich and the Somerset region will receive household assistance in the form of tax cuts and increases in assistance payments, including:
- 23,000 pensioners will receive an extra $338 extra a year if they are single and up to $510 a year for couples combined, in their pension payments.
- More than 14,100 families will receive household assistance through their Family Assistance. That is up to $110 per eligible child for families receiving Family Tax Benefit A, and up to $69 in assistance for families receiving the Family Tax Benefit B
- More than 900 self-funded retirees in Blair will receive an extra $338 a year in assistance for singles and up to $510 a year for couples combined.
- More than 5,200 jobseekers will get up to $218 extra a year for singles and $390 a year for couples combined.
- More than 3,200 single parents will get an additional $289 a year.
- More than 1,700 students will get up to $177 extra a year, depending on their rate and type of payment (eg. Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance).
On top of this, taxpayers in Ipswich and the Somerset region with an annual income under $80,000 will all get a tax cut, with most receiving at least $300 a year.
On average, local households will pay an additional $9.90 a week, but they will receive $10.10 a week in assistance.
And this assistance will be permanent and will increase.
This is our response to the very real threat of global warming and I believe our nation and our community in particular are up to this challenge
The Carbon Pricing Scheme, along with the household assistance and tax reform, will be introduced on July 1, 2012.
Further information about the Federal Labor Government's clean energy future and carbon price announcement is available at
www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au
You are welcome to come and chat with me at my mobile office and pick up some information on our plan to build a clean energy future and our household assistance plan.
Please check for further mobile office details on this site.
Otherwise please call my office on 3201 5300.
Regards
Shayne